Clark N. Kurtz

Reversal bleaching for low flare light in holograms.

It has been shown that the principal cause of flare light in a bleached hologram is self-interference of light from an extended object. In most bleaching processes the surface relief image and variation of refractive index of the bleached emulsion combine to enhance the self-interference pattern at low spatial frequencies and thus to enhance the flare light. This paper describes a reversal bleach process for Kodak spectroscopic plates, Type 649-F, such that the relief image tends to cancel the effects of the index variation for low spatial frequencies. This makes it possible to achieve high diffraction efficiencies and signal-to-noise ratios. Data are given.

Design and synthesis of random phase diffusers

This paper considers diffusers characterized by random variations of optical path, such as ground-glass-surface diffusers. The theoretical limits on the light distributions realizable with random phase diffusers are derived, and the important parameters controlling these light distributions are identified. Methods for generating controlled random signals that, when converted to optical-path variations, have the correct parameters to synthesize diffusers with any desired, realizable light distribution are described. Some goniophotometric data taken from diffusers synthesized by this method are given in support of the theory. These results represent a basic solution of the random-phase-diffuser synthesis problem.

Transmittance Characteristics of Surface Diffusers and the Design of Nearly Band-Limited Binary Diffusers*

The autocorrelation of the amplitude transmittance of surface diffusers and their scattering characteristics are related to the optical-path autocorrelation for several sets of optical-path statistics. Simple relationships are found for the gaussian case and experimental evidence is given to support the view of a ground-glass surface being accurately modeled by a gaussian process. Some closed-form results are also obtained for binary diffusers, including the design of a quasi-band-limited binary diffuser with a much improved power spectrum.

Scalar and vector mode relations in gradient-index light guides

The relations between scalar-wave-equation modes, which represent approximate solutions for the transverse Cartesian electric and magnetic fields Ex, Ey, Hx, Hy, and the modes that are solutions of a pair of equations that we call the cylindrical scalar equations, which represent approximate solutions for the transverse cylindrical electric and magnetic fields Er, Eθ, Hr, Hθ, are derived. These relations allow construction of the natural vector modes of the inhomogeneous cylindrical geometry, matching of boundary conditions, and loss calculations in cylindrical geometries from knowledge of the conventional scalar-wave-equation solutions.

Introduction to the Applied Optics feature on optical data storage

Some of the papers presented at the OSA Topical Meeting on Optical Data Storage (Mar. 1987) are grouped together with a few others on the same subject. This brief article introduces them.

Web-Based Optical Disk Assemblies

Novel optical disk configurations that use coated webs are described. These include the Kodak Sealed Disk Assembly, which is made from webs held permanently in tension by a peripheral ring structure, and various sized rigid disk substrates to which are laminated coated webs. Such Laminated Disk Assemblies can provide the familiar mechanical properties of aluminum and can be protected from dust in a number of different configurations. Read/ write performance of the disk configurations is given, and media stability data are discussed.